What I LEARNED on my Summer Vacation

better have a back up plan for that GPS that is ignorant of detours, roadblocks and road construction.

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• there is no need to pack the entire contents of my closet or armoire for a 7 day trip, there are washing machines at my parents house and even in hotels.



• one doesn't need every type of hair styling product whle on vacation that is in ones cabinet to get the perfect "do" 1 of each will be fine. So total of 3 bottles NOT 8.



• that if I want to do something while at home then I need to make sure I make a list cause I will ineveitably forget to do something.



• there are absolutely too many miles between mine, my parents' and my brothers houses...I miss spending time with them. Once a year stinks for visits...need to be intentional to get together more.



• One cannot read more than one book while on vacation so don't even try to pack more than that. If you finish it while on vacation great! You can go and get a new book at the bookstore. There are bookstores in the towns you are visiting.



• my spirit needs to be recharged more than once a year. There need to be more times during the year spent for me to re-charge, dream, plan, and spend time with the Father free from the distractions of home.



• Need to be alert more to what God is showing and telling me through the everyday"ness" of my life. He is speaking but am I listening? No, not always. Am too busy most days. Need to slow down so I can hear and see.



• Have missed listening and learning from some of my favorite speakers and preachers; they haven't gone anywhere. I have neglected my podcasts for mindless television too many nights. Must remedy that.



• Cannot believe how much I miss the sights, sounds and smell of the ocean and the feel of the sand under my feet.



• God desires for us to laugh and joy in Him. Best times are spent at His feet watching and listening, just being aware of His presence and enjoying Him, not coming to Him with a checklist of rants or requests.



• Have neglected carrying my journal with me throughout my day and am missing many insights and aha moments as the days go by because I don't write them down.

Some of these are funny check list things others do not sound grandiose or life altering but in my times of thinking while driving many of these were like "duh" moments. I think in the busy-ness of everyday life we forget to take notice of our lives and where they are headed. It is imperative that we be more intentional before we reach a day that stuns us with its arrival and makes us ask: "Where did the time go?"

What I Did on My Summer Vacation Days 5&6

Sunday night my dad surprised me by asking if I wanted to spend the night in the mountains Monday night and then head home on Tuesday. My late Birthday present. I of course said YES!! So Monday morning we headed out for Boone, NC. On the way we stopped to see my Uncle Jim, my dad's baby brother. I haven't seen him in forever. I was his birthday present one year, ha ha ha. Seriously I was born on his birthday. Anyway, we had a great visit. Got to see his new church pastorate. Which is a church that was started in 1727. It has a beautiful building with some wonderful old stained glass. The glass dates back to 1919. Pretty wonderful that it has lasted all these years. It was fun seeing it but the best was listening to my Dad and Uncle Jim laughing and talking.

After a great visit we continued our journey north through the mountains until we reached Boone. I hadn't seen the town of Boone in over 14 years. It was practically unrecognizable to me. When I would go up to visit friends during college we visited lots of places. I could hardly find landmarks of places we visited and ate at. Except for Makotos. I was SO excited to see that it was still up and running. Wonderful Japanese Steak House. Anyway, it was a bit late when we arrived so we trekked over to Moses Cone Manor which is a family have to visit location. Its a beautiful manor house overlooking a valley. Then we headed down to Blowing Rock. I love that little town. But while we were there the heavens opened and it started pouring rain. So we cut our sight seeing short and returned to the hotel.

The next morning we got up bright and early and headed to the parkway. We started at the northern point of Doughton Park and then made our way south. We had fun stopping and looking at the scenery along the way. It was fun to see some little critters along the way, some muskrat, rabbits, and deer. There was one baby deer who wasn't frightened at all and even stopped and posed for pictures. He even wagged his tail for us as if to say "Hi" :-) We visited the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church which houses one of Ben Long's wonderful frescoes. This church has a wonderful history of ministry to many people in the mountains. The Last Supper Fresco is what is located behind the pulpit. Fresco painting is an amazing process and it is fun to hear what he went through as he created this wonderful painting. I love that he painted himself as doubting Thomas, his testimony to the struggle he had to come to faith in Christ. There are other stories to tell from the visit to the church, ponderings and musings that I will share later.

After we visited every nook and cranny of the church we headed south to Grandfather Mountain area so we could see the Viaduct and the mountain itself. It is always amazing to see the viaduct.http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/linncove.htm all 1243 feet of it. The most tremendous feat was building it from the top down, not disturbing the mountain as they built it. But they did it. There are some fun stories from Grandfather Mountain as well. When we were little we would go up the mountain to see the sights. There was Mildred the bear and all the bear cubs. There was also the mile high swinging bridge. Sad to say I was always too chicken to make it across. My own Grandmother finished it when I couldn't. Pretty sad, huh? The drive to the top is rather narrow. Not a lot of room for 2 cars to pass each other. Once when we were little I remember sitting the backseat of our car and whispering to my brother that "we were going to die" as we watched another car come straight for us as we were driving to the top. Of course we didn't die but it sure was scary there for a moment or two.

After this we headed back to my mom and dads. Sad to say my fun journey home is over except for the journey back. Tomorrow I head back to Texas. There will be a few stops along the way to see some old friends but then back home and back to work. Learned lots, rested, and had fun visiting and reminiscing.

What I Am Doing on My Summer Vacation Day 5

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, was a little tired last night and couldn't even think to put 2 sentences together. But it was a fabulous day. I slept in and had a wonderful time going to high tea with my mom. And wonderful conversations.

This trip has been all about conversations: conversations with God, myself, random strangers, old friends that I haven't seen in forever and last but certainly not least ever my family. Wonderful stories to relate and hear as well as memories to share. Its been about seeing as well. Seeing God's hand at work around me whether its through the hello and subsequent conversation at the random rest stop or restaurant on my way here and being able to encourage and listen or be encouraged; or when its the "perfect" timing of being here when family and friends need me to be physically present so they can see my face and hear my voice live. Today I had great conversations with a wonderful "old" friend although she is anything but old. It was wonderful catching up on the last five years of our lives. Sharing joys and sorrows as well as prayer requests for decisions to be made.

This morning was about standing with the two people that introduced me to worship and what it means to join with others and joy in God's presence and love Him. I loved being able to sit with my parents and worship God together side by side. It is a rare treat these days as we live so far apart.

What I am Doing on My Summer Vacation Day 3

Today began with actually very little sleep. I think I was too keyed up from the drive so it took FOREVER for me to wind down enough to go to sleep. But after a few hours I got up and hopped in my mom and dads car and we headed off in search of a new adventure and a new lighthouse. I love state parks and especially searching for lighthouses. Their history fascinates me. And I think they are beautiful. So we headed out to Hunting Beach State Park. We also stopped and got a biscuit from one of my much missed fast food joints Hardees and I got the extremely unhealthy sausage biscuit. But it was absolutely wonderful. 2 hours later and lots of hilarious conversation we arrived at Hunting Island. It was an okay place. The lighthouse was gorgeous but the park itself was sadly lacking. As most of the beaches in this area they are suffering from beach erosion. While they are taking small measures to preserve and save it, it takes tons of manpower to make it happen. They also were a dumping ground and there was so much "trash" on shore that it made it very difficult to enjoy walking on it. Now by trash I don't mean people's discards, but I mean broken shells, seaweed, and straw. It just wasn't as nice of a beach as its neighbors to the south and north. So... we packed everything back up and drove a little ways north to Edisto Island state park. This beach is wonderful and it has bathhouses, etc. The awful thing though was as we were driving the little 30 minute jaunt around to get to it, it started to pour rain. Now I love rain in the summer but I was getting sad cause I really wanted to take some more beach pics to remember this time by. And was selfishly asking God to please make it let up by the time we got there. Well by the time we arrived it was sprinkling just a bit so we took the time to get dads car filled up with gas and for all of us to get a treat of some blue bell ice cream that they served there in a little shop. That was the best butter pecan cone I think I have ever had. Okay probably not true but it sure tasted good. Anyway, by the time we left the shop guess, what?! You're right, it had stopped raining now whether or not God chose to hold the rain off I don't know, but it was a nice gift and I selfishly lay claim to Him moving that storm along. And so when we walked on the beach there were all of 5 other people present. It was awesome. We were able to walk and pick up shells on some beautiful sandy beach as well as just enjoy the cooler temps it had dropped down to 71 while it was raining. The only sad part was the very little bit of sun. But that wasn't what I prayed for, just an end to the rain and that's what I got and I am thankful for that. Anyway, after the day was over we headed back home, so mom and I can have a girly day out tomorrow. We are going to dress up and go to high tea at this little tea room in a neighboring town. I can't wait. So that's about all that we accomplished today other than the usual enjoying conversation and reminiscing with each other. I have posted some pics below from my day.

What I am doing on my summer vacation day 2

Well, I goofed and was supposed to start my vacation info. last night after my first day of vacation, but I left my computer in my car and it was pouring rain, so I decided I could catch up tonight. I packed up my car tuesday night and began my trek cross country to my parents in SC. Most have asked me WHY?? in the world I was driving instead of flying. And no it isn't because I am afraid to fly. I decided after crunching numbers that it would be easier and cheaper to drive home. I also wanted to stop along the way and visit with some of my friends who live all over this great nation. Which makes it more fun and enjoyable. However, the journey here was non stop. I will visit with friends along the way when I head back home. On the way here I had a great time catching up on some podcasts of speakers and teachers that I miss getting to listen to as much as I would like to. So I have heard some great teaching as well as got to listen to my music and enjoy the down time. It was uneventful for the most part yesterday until I reached Birmingham, AL and it was POURING rain. The people were driving ridiculously recklessly so I stopped not too long after I got the other side of Birmingham and got a hotel for the night. Just an FYI Wednesdays make a great travel day, very little traffic on the interstates. Its been fun freaking people out along the way, waving to random people in other cars as I passed them, talking with those few at the rest stops and their being shocked at a friendly "hello". Sad that we are such an unfriendly "don't talk to me" bunch of people. I also just plain had fun singing my heart out, belting out tunes and flexing those poor little muscles that don't get that much of a workout these days

Today was a bit busier out there but I was travelling through Atlanta and Augusta and theres a bit more construction on I-20 in these locations than most of the other areas so it was a bit congested and busy. A lot more cranky and reckless drivers as well. So all in all I made it here in one piece. And the first thing was eating a late lunch with my parents: home cooking mama and daddy style. I love it. Beef stew to start; and then dinner was melt in your mouth roast beef that my mom had marinated. It was absolutely awesome cause after 2 days of fast food its time for some home cooking.

Tomorrow is beach day and the plan is to travel to Huntington Island State Park http://www.huntingisland.com/ I absolutely can't wait!!! you have the beach and a lighthouse and trails to hike around. Perfect. I will post pics as I can. Gotta break in my new camera and see what "she" will do.

I hope your week is going well and you are enjoying these last remaining days of summer. Well it is 10 minutes to midnight so I am calling it a night.

I Knew It!!

Everyone's finding out what we who are from NC already knew...

Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches of 2009 - MSN Travel - Slide Show - 7: "Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches of 2009
7. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, N.C.: Bulging far offshore of the mainland coast as a barrier island, Cape Hatteras was the first National Seashore. Cape Hatteras provides some of the best board surfing along the East Coast, as well as the most famous lighthouse in the U.S. It attracts beachgoers and nature lovers alike for its historic fishing villages, superb fishing and excellent beachcombing."